News
FRANCE - Crédit Agricole Private Equity strengthens team
Crédit Agricole Private Equity has hired Xavier Tassel as partner in the Special Situations team, which focuses mainly on investments in distressed companies and manages a EUR 50m Fund.
EUROPE - Value of buyouts plunges to five year low
The value of private equity-backed acquisitions across Europe fell to a five-year low in 2008 amidst continuing illiquidity in the debt markets and a worsening macroeconomic climate, dropping by 61% from 2007's record high of more than EUR 184bn to EUR...
EUROPE - Balderton holds $430m first closing of fourth fund
Balderton Capital has held the first close of its new $500m vehicle, Balderton IV, on $430m.
UK / US - SL bulks up Boston team
SL Capital Partners (formerly Standard Life Investments Private Equity) has appointed Whit Matthews to the role of investment manager for its Boston office.
UK - Catapult backs £800,000 Comply-Serve funding
Catapult Venture Menagaers has invested an undisclosed sum into software company Comply-Serve Ltd as part of an £800,000 funding round.
UK - Seraphim invests a further £1.5m into TestPlant
Seraphim Capital has made a follow-on investment of £1.5m into software company TestPlant.
UK - MMC supports Neoss with £5.5m
MMC Ventures has participated in a £5.5m funding round for healthcare company Neoss Ltd, alongside Delta Partners, Medtronic and several high net worth individuals.
FRANCE - IRDI-ISCO purchases Bernard Dumas for EUR 10m
IRDI-ISCO Private Equity, alongside company management, has purchased microfiber component manufacturer Bernard Dumas from Arjowiggins, a subsidiary of Sequana, for EUR 10m.
CEE - EBRD to commit EUR 50m into regional mezz fund
EBRD is to invest up to EUR 50m into Accession Mezzanine Capital III, a vehicle managed by Mezzanine Management Central Europe that focuses on Central and Eastern Europe and has a target size of EUR 350m.
CEE - EBRD considers EUR 40m commitment to 3TS CEE Fund III
The EBRD is studying the possibility of investing up to EUR 40m, but not exceeding 20% of total aggregate commitments, in 3TS CEE Fund III, a regional private equity fund with a target size of EUR 200m.
GLOBAL - LBPE agrees to buy back more shares
Lehman Brothers Private Equity Partners has amended the liquidition enhancement agreement from July 2008 to raise the amount of shares it can buy back.
UK - KPS to acquire Waterford Wedgwood
Reports suggest that US-based KPS Capital Partners is posed to acquire the assets of glass and china producer Waterford Wedgewood.
UK - Bank of Scotland Corporate backs Domia funding round
Bank of Scotland Growth Capital has invested £106,000 into energy management specialists Domia Ltd as part of its co-investment programme with business angel network Oxford Investment Opportunity Network (OION), which invested an equal sum and led the...
GREECE - Global Finance sponsors Euroclinic buyout
Global Finance has sponsored a leveraged buyout of Greek healthcare group Euroclinic from the Dutch financial services group Eureko BV for an undisclosed amount.
GERMANY - Earlybird invests in nfon AG
Earlybird has invested in web-based telecommunications solutions provider nfon AG.
UK - BC Partners chairman steps down
BC Partners chairman Jens Reidel is to step down with immediate effect, reports suggest.
BELGIUM - Wellington et al. sell Q-Layer to Sun Microsystems
Wellington Partners, Partech and Big Bang Ventures-backed software developer Q-layer has been acquired by US IT firm Sun Microsystem.
GERMANY - WMS supports IMM Group with EUR 1.75m
Wachstumsfonds Mittelstand Sachsen (WMS) has backed electrical components manufacturer IMM Holding GmbH with an investment of EUR 1.75m, which comprises a direct stakeholding and a silent partnership.
SPAIN - PE investment drops 32% in 2008
According to recent figures released by the Spanish Venture Capital Association (ASCRI), private equity invesment has dropped by 32% in Spain to reach EUR 2.9bn, close to 2006 levels.
FRANCE - Astorg promotes three
Astorg Partners has appointed Alexandre Vannelle and Olivier Binet as associate directors and Edouard Guigou as associate.
FRANCE - Turenne Capital invests EUR 5m into CEDE
Turenne Capital has invested EUR 5m into thermodynamic heating business Centre Européen de Domotique et d'Energie (CEDE).
FRANCE - CDC CI acquires DGF
CDC Capital Investissement (CDC CI) has backed the management buyout of food products distributor DGF Group.